Becca finished the last of her burger, chewing slowly as her mind raced. Shifter Neanderthals need not apply. Those were her words to Lyssa just hours earlier. Ironic how Jaylon swore he was none of the above using the same word. Neanderthal.

Shifter males were rock-hard by nature and not just when it came to their man parts. She shook her head. Single-minded. Pigheaded, even. Especially when it came to females. Her lips pursed, wondering what Jaylon would say when he found she was Prowl Leader of her Leap.

If it was anyone else she’d expect the fur to fly, but despite Jaylon’s chauvinistic moment, her gut told her he wasn’t a typical shifter male. Not in that way and not that she would tell him. Nor would she admit her inner cat was the only reason he got a chance at redemption.

Feline purr power or not, the jury was still out on the Alpha male wolf. Especially since it was hard keeping her focus with him close enough to kiss. She didn’t need the odds stacked any more in his favor by him playing the pheromone game with her inner pussy.

Becca grinned at the deliberate pun and plopped half a fry in her mouth, running her tongue along the salty bottom seam of her lip.

“That has got to be the sexiest way I’ve ever seen someone eat a french fry,” Jay commented as he stepped behind his chair.

She coughed, embarrassed at being caught unawares. “That’s quite a stealthy approach you’ve got, wolf boy,” she answered, wiping her mouth on her napkin.

“I could say the same about your sex appeal, Miss Kitty. Quiet, but deadly.”

She wrinkled her nose, grimacing. “Point taken. No silly names.”

Jaylon winked, pulling his chair out to sit down. “Glad you agree.”

Becca glanced toward the restaurant, her curiosity getting the best of her. Who did he call and why so abruptly? “Is everything okay?”

He reached for the check the waitress left at the table. “With what? The check?”

She shook her head. “No, with your call.” Becca gave a chin pop toward the glass windows.

“That? Yeah, why?”

She shrugged. “No reason.”

Dismissing the query, Jaylon reached for his wallet to slip his credit card into the black leather folio. His distracted manner left her studying his face. He didn’t owe her an explanation, but she wondered nonetheless. How often do gorgeous guys buy ordinary women lunch and then offer to pay for a night on the town? Who did he call? She said she had obligations. She told him this was too much, too soon. Damn. Even though it was one hundred percent true, did she have to open her fat mouth about it?

“Did I say something I shouldn’t have?” she asked.

He looked up again, confused. “Why would you think that?”

“I don’t know. You seem preoccupied all of a sudden.”

“Trust me, I’m not. Double checking the bill is a habit of mine. I can get a little OCD when it comes to numbers.” Lifting a hand, he gestured for the server to take the check.

Becca wiped her mouth again and then glanced at her watch. “Maybe I should meet you later. Perhaps at the hotel, whichever one that will be.”

“Why?” he asked, puzzled.

She shook her head again. “Nah, I feel guilty about blowing off my meeting and I’d like to try to and catch up with her, if possible.”

“Funny, I just cancelled mine.” He gestured toward the restaurant. “That’s the call I made.”

Oh my God! This stunning man just cancelled a business meeting to spend more time with her! Becca’s cat went nuts, but her phone pinged sending reality rushing in to squelch her inner swoon. She fished in her purse to check the message.

Becca dear—

I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt that your delay this afternoon was inevitable. I’ll be at the Oak Bar at the Plaza Hotel at eight p.m. this evening. I look forward to seeing you then. I’ll have a red flower brooch on my shoulder in case my profile pic isn’t enough.

—Gerri Wilder

Becca raised an eyebrow, locking her phone with a click.

“Bad news?” he asked.

“Uhm, no. More like coincidence.” She gestured with her phone. “It was my business acquaintance. She wants to meet tonight. Eight p.m.”

The waitress brought the credit card slip for Jay and he glanced at Becca as he signed the check. “That works out perfectly.”

“Why, did you switch your meeting to this evening, too?” she asked.

He shook his head. “No. I postponed mine indefinitely.” He closed the leather folio and looked at his watch. “I said it was perfect timing because it’s four-o’clock. Check in time at every decent hotel in the city. We can get you settled and then pick up whatever you need for the night. You can meet your friend and then have a late dinner with me.”

She shook off her inner squeal and tried to be cool. “I appreciate the offer, Jaylon, but I’d rather get myself settled and then meet you later.”

A slash of disappointment edged tight in his jaw. “Okay,” he hesitated. “Where and when do you want to meet?”

“I promise I’m not trying to blow you off, Jaylon. You can come with me to find a hotel, if you want.” She smiled casually, but her mind screamed, “Please say yes!”

He nodded with a smile. “Deal. Any idea where you want to go?”

She inhaled, pressing her lips together to tamp down on her ear-to-ear smile. Her eyes skimmed toward the southern end of the park and he laughed, meeting her eyes. “Don’t tell me. The Plaza, right?”

She shrugged with a smirk. “Why not?”

Jaylon pushed his chair back and got up to walk around the table. He held out his hand and Becca slipped her fingers into his palm.

“Those are the two best words I’ve heard so far today,” he said as he pulled her from her seat to stand toe to toe with him.

Slipping his hand around her waist, he kissed her, letting his lips linger for more than a moment.

Eyes closed, she tasted the hint of hunger on his mouth and her cat paced. Why not? She could think of ten reasons why she shouldn’t, but none of them mattered with his lips on hers.

Jaylon was too delicious to resist. Just looking at him made her mouth water and her panties wet, and when he touched her— oh God—

Why not?

Exactly.

* * *

The two got out of the cab and headed up the red carpeted steps through the hotel’s classic doors into the famed hotel.

Becca glanced toward registration and then to Jaylon. “Meet you here at eight thirty, then?”

“Sounds good.”

She nodded and turned to head to the front desk, but Jaylon was still at her side.

“I don’t need a chaperon, Jaylon. I’m certainly capable of checking myself into a hotel.”

“I know that, Becca, and so am I. Or would you prefer I wander the city until it’s time to meet you for dinner?”

Mouth open, she snapped it closed. “I didn’t realize, Jaylon. I’m sorry. I thought you had places to be.”

At the front desk, he caught her around the waist and kissed her again, eager and demanding, biting her bottom lip. “I have plenty of places to be, Becca, but right now the only place I want to be is with you, near you—” he whispered against her mouth, “—inside you.”

Becca’s breath hitched at his words. The man was so hot, her skin burned with a single touch and her pussy went slick with need. It had been too long.

Her cat yowled inside, prodding her, scratching for the surface. Her mouth slanted against his and she kissed him back, her tongue straining for dominance.

She almost laughed at the clichéd irony. Fighting like cats and dogs, ha! Try fucking like beasts.

Her heat came on fast and hard. A raging inferno ready to burn her alive if she didn’t give it release. She’d never been a one-night stand before, but she didn’t care. Since that terrible night when Charlie died, her guilt had snuffed any chance at passion since.

Jaylon broke their kiss, his eyes on hers. “I know we just met today, but when something good crashes into you, it makes you wonder. Especially when you’ve been struggling to resist that feeling all day.”

She froze for a moment. Jaylon felt it, too?

“Fate had you stumble into my arms, and I don’t want to let you go. Not yet, anyway.”